We're All in This Together: The Reunion
by Jennyanydot
Summary: Life changes more than we expect. That was the lesson that life taught the former Wildcats. They lost touch with each other over the years, but now its time for their ten year reunion. Read where everyone ended up. Futuristic, set in 2018.
1. Chapter 1

Kelsie strode out of her office, the sound of her pricey Jimmy Choos heels echoing through the empty hallway. In her hand, she held a piece of paper and on her face, she wore a frown.

"Ryan!" she bellowed, making her way to the other office at the opposite end of the building. Within moments, she was stalking through the open door—just in time to see her husband of two years tipped back in his computer chair, feet on the desk.

He turned suddenly, his feet dropping to the floor. "Uh, hi Kelse…what's wrong?"

She waved the letter in front of his face. "This. This is what's wrong. What is your sister up to now?"

He frowned and took the letter in question. Studying it for a moment, he scanned the contents—while Kelsie examined her manicure critically.

"Well, it appears that Sharpay's head of the reunion committee. And she wants to stage a reunion musical," he mused, eyeing his wife. Kelsie seemed uninterested.

"What's wrong Kelse?" he stood up and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She resisted at first, but then settled, her small form melding perfectly with his.

She shrugged. "Nothing really wrong, but we have a life here, in New York. And now Sharpay wants us to go back. It'll be like high school all over again," she wailed.

He frowned and turned her around to face him. "Kelsie, talk to me. You loved to the musicals at East High. This will be fun. We'll see everyone that we haven't see in a while. It will be okay. And I'll be there with you."

She sighed. "Well that's not all it. There was another paper included in the invite." She reached in her pocket and pulled out a small pink letter. Handing it to him, she waited for him to read it.

"Shar wants you to compose the music," he commented. He smiled and hugged her. "That's great! It'll be fun. We can do it together."

She groaned. "I have so much other work to do. I mean—the score for _Alice_ is supposed to be ready in three months and now I have to compose an entire musical in eight weeks."

Ryan laughed. "Kelsie, you worry too much. We will do it together. I will call Sharpay and tell her that we'll be in Albuquerque with a score." With a kiss and a pat on the butt, he sent her back to her own office before picking up his phone.

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

"Okay, okay, okay. Settle down!" Sharpay clapped her hands and waited a few seconds before the last murmur died down. Twenty-eight pairs of eyes turned toward her. "I hope that everyone finished their homework this weekend," she added, motioning for her aide to collect said homework.

"Aww…Ms. Evans, why did you have to give us homework over the weekend? It was the worst," complained Hunter Shepp, an athlete that reminded Sharpay of Troy.

"It builds character and besides, you can't excel in drama without some memorizing. And what better way to begin than with Shakespeare? Speaking of which, Amanda Parker, you're up first," Sharpay moved to the back of the classroom and watched as her best student in the class strode to the front to begin her monologue.

Three minutes later, the room was silent as Amanda took her seat again. As usual, she had done an exemplar job. Sharpay smiled as they went through another half dozen presentations. They would spend several days completing the entire class.

Finally she clapped her hands, getting the class' attention. "Okay, now I have a special announcement." She walked to the front of the class. "As most of you know, the spring musical is beginning its auditions. But this year is a little different. It's particularly special for me because it is my ten year high school reunion and I've invited back the class of 2008 to put on a one-night show to raise scholarship money for the school. The class of 2008 will put on a show one night and the next night will be our spring musical. Any interested actors will sign up on my door and prepare for auditions which will take place in two weeks. Any questions?" Sharpay scanned the crowd, watching half her students doze off into space and others feign interest.

"You know, a first year drama student who is cast in the musical is pretty special. I wish you all the luck," she added, just as the bell rang and the room was filled with a flurry of activity as students emptied from its bowels.

She sighed and moved toward her office. It was her planning period and Lord knew that she had a lot to do. Just as she was about to pull out her reunion plans, the phone jangled beside her.

She smiled when she heard the familiar voice. "Hi Ryan!"

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

"Ms. McKessie?"

Taylor looked up and smiled at the slight blond balancing a stack of mail and a Grande Caramel Macchiato. "Cheryl?"

"I have your coffee and your mail," Cheryl replied nervously, managing to safely place both the mail and the coffee on the desk. Taylor picked up the coffee and sipped it.

"Thank you, Cheryl. Do you mind typing this for me? I need it to be sent to Congressman Smith ASAP," Taylor added, handing her assistant a stack of papers. As she did, a piece of paper caught her eye. She frowned and picked up the envelope, reading the address quickly.

With her tongue in her cheek, she set her coffee down and tore open the envelope. "What the Hell?"

"Is there a problem Ms. McKessie?" Cheryl asked nervously.

Taylor sighed and slapped the paper down. She picked up her coffee and sucked half of it up the straw. Moments later, she set the coffee down and shook her head. "Sorry, sorry. There's no problem. Just a nasty little invitation for something I'd much rather forget."

"Oh. Okay. Well, I'll get right to these papers," Cheryl said, hurrying out of the office. Taylor watched her go. She picked up the invitation again and reread it.

_It's that time, Wildcats!_

_Can you believe it? Ten years already!_

_You are invited to the 10-year reunion for the class of 2008_

_**When: **__June 8-9, 2018_

_**Where: **__East High School Auditorium_

_**Activities: **_

_Dinner and Student-led Musical—Friday_

_Reunion Musical Class of 2008—Saturday_

_It will be an exciting and memorable weekend_

_We hope you can make it!_

_RSVP (XXX) XXX-XXXX_

_Sharpay Evans, Reunion Coordinator_

She really didn't want to go to the reunion. She had expected an invitation—granted she hadn't expected Sharpay Evans to be the coordinator. But maybe she had changed with time.

Taylor sighed. How naïve they had been during high school. As if their lives could actually be like their high school musical. Taylor knew firsthand that life was not perfect and that it was what _you _made it to be. She had worked hard to be where she was today: she had worked her way up the food chain to become one of the best legislative attorneys in the country. Her life was her own and she didn't particularly want to go back to high school again.

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

Gabriella Montez tapped her foot impatiently as she watched the elevator ascend through the floors. The little red numbers were not changing fast enough for her own style. Of all the days to be late, it had to be the day that she was getting her first big break in more than six months of working on the same case.

She still laughed at herself sometimes because she ended up a cop. After all those years in advanced placement classes and the Stanford Freshman Honors Program, she had ended up forgoing a law degree for the police academy. And now, after four years as an officer, she had only recently been promoted to detective.

Life was a funny thing, Gabriella thought as the elevator finally came to a stop, allowing her to walk out into the bullpen. She walked to her desk and stowed her purse in the locked bottom drawer. Booting up her laptop, she mused over how much her life had changed since high school.

Here she was, sitting in the Robbery-Homicide Division of the Los Angeles Police Department, instead of a pricy high-rise law office where so many people had assumed she end up. Gabriella was glad that she had changed her career choice. She knew that she would have liked being a lawyer, but had discovered a love for bring down the bad guys and helping the streets of Los Angeles become that much safer. As her computer signaled it was ready, Gabriella logged into the LAPD database and focused her attention to her case.

Six months earlier, a female Caucasian high school senior had gone missing and had turned up murdered six days later. Obviously there was a case in that alone because straight A, Ivy-league bound students weren't prime victims for murder. But the case had taken another turn when a fifteen-year-old Caucasian National Honor Roll student had been discovered strangled in an East Los Angles Park only two months later. Apparently, the press-dubbed "Salutatorian Strangler" had struck again, with a college freshman this time, only one week earlier.

The similarities between all three murders had to mean something and Gabriella had finally discovered her break when an informant had come forward, giving up the knowledge that they knew of a person who seemed suspicious. Looking for a break in the case, she had checked out the information and found that the suspicious person—David Roderick—had a sketchy past and a bleak future.

A quick search of his apartment discovered that he had pictures of all three victims before and after death. This was more than enough for a warrant. The only problem was that Roderick was nowhere to be found.

"Damn-it!" she growled and hit the enter button on the key board. The new search had turned up nothing, zero, zilch. It was as if David Roderick had simply fallen on the edge of the earth.

"Hey Montez, mail for you," her partner Alex called from across the room. As he did, an envelope came flying toward her. She caught it and glanced briefly at the front before using her nail to slit the top open. As she did, she saw that familiar East High letter head. Frowning, she read over the contents.

_Sharpay Evans_ was the coordinator for the Wildcat's high school reunion. That was something that made Gabriella laugh hysterically. Sharpay hadn't really been much for school pride unless it had been her on a stage under a single spotlight. Apparently the thought of that image had been very funny because she actually laughed out loud, causing Alex to look her way, interested now.

He stood up and walked over toward her desk. "What are you reading?" he dropped into the chair on the other side of the desk.

She shook her head. "I got an invitation to my ten-year high school reunion." Laying it on the table, she nodded for him to read it himself.

"And you find that funny why? I would find that horrifying," he replied, his facing telling her another story.

She shrugged. "Well, not so much funny. But interesting, anyhow. Let's just say that my 18 months at East High were anything but boring." The edges of her lips lifted into a smile.

"Are you going?" Alex asked, setting the note back on the table.

"I don't know. For one, I don't know if I can get the time off. And I don't know if I really want to find out how my classmates turned out. After all, it's been ten years," Gabriella replied, rising from behind her desk and striding to the break room for some of the muddy sludge the police department claimed to call coffee. Grabbing a cup, she poured the thick mixture and took an experimental sip. Sometime between college and the police academy, her stomach lining had turned to iron.

Alex appeared beside her. "I think that you should go. It's always fun to see how your old friends and enemies turned out." He held out the letter and nodded toward the captain's office. Clearly, he wanted her to go and talk to their boss right now.

She sighed and snatched the invite from his fingers and stomped through the bullpen to the open door.

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

Martha Cross eased her silver minivan into the driveway of her suburban Albuquerque rambler. Cutting the engine, she opened the door and slipped out, grabbing two shopping bags and her big purse in the process.

As she did, the front door opened and her husband of four years stepped out to greet her. "Hey! How was class?" He kissed her cheek and walked past to slide open the van door. In the backseat, their two-year-old daughter Sadie giggled at the sight of her father. He unhooked her from the restraints of her car seat and carried her into the house.

Martha dropped the grocery bags on the counter as Jason settled their daughter on the floor of the family room with her favorite toys. She began unloading the bags, taking out the milk and eggs, placing them in the refrigerator and stowing the non-perishables like the peanut butter and the _Ritz _crackers in the pantry. Within minutes she'd finished and was about to place the cloth bags by the front door when a small envelope with the familiar East High wildcat picture caught her eye. Frowning, she dropped the bags and picked up the letter.

"Jase?" she walked toward the family room.

He looked up from the mini toy piano that was their little girl's favorite toy. "Yeah?" When he saw her expression, he stood up and walked toward his wife.

Martha held up the letter. "Did you pick up the mail today?"

Jason took the letter and studied it. "Yeah, it was already in the box when I got home. I just put it on the counter."

"This came today," she said, motion to the letter in his hand. He ripped it open and quickly read over it. "What is it?" she asked.

"It's an invitation to our ten-year high school reunion. In June, at East High."

Her eyes widened. "Really? I've been wondering if they were going to have one. I've been thinking a lot about all those times in high school. Seems like so long ago, doesn't it?"

Jason grinned and handed the letter back to her. "I take it that you are planning to go."

"Well of course. I can't wait to see everyone again. Remember how we all hoped that our lives would be like our high school musical? I for one want to know how everyone else turned out," she said, turning back to the kitchen to begin dinner.

"Yeah, it would be great to see everyone again. Do you think they'll all come? I mean—last we heard, Kelsie and Ryan are still in New York, famous and all. And Taylor's living in Washington DC or something. I don't think we heard anything about Gabriella or Troy," he replied, following her into the kitchen. He reached into the fridge and drew out some carrots and celery to add to the pre-cut lettuce for salad.

"Well that's why we go to the reunions—to reconnect with everyone," Martha added, grabbing a skillet to sauté the chicken for their salad. She glanced over the counter to see Sadie toddling toward her with her dolly. She motioned to Jason who went to put a movie into the DVD player for her to watch. That would occupy their little girl for a few minutes at least.

As she cut into the chicken breasts, she mused about her own life. Life had turned out good for her. She'd had to work for her happiness, of course, but in the end, she'd gotten exactly what she wanted. She was married to the most wonderful man in the entire world. She had a beautiful little girl and the career she'd always dreamed of at her own dance studio. Yes, life had, essentially, turned out just like their high school musical.

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

"I need merlot for the chicken and champagne for the pastries," Zeke said to his assistant who was furiously adding his requests to an already four page grocery list. He walked to the stove and stirred the berry mixture that would become the berry cobbler he'd begun to be known for. After all, _Chez Rouge _had recently been voted the number one new restaurant in the greater Albuquerque area.

He was a success. That was the simple way of putting it. After all those years of wanting to be known for his cooking skills, he was finally the owner of one of the best new restaurants in the city.

Zeke used the spoon to sample the mixture, wincing a bit at the lack of sweetness. Clearly the berries weren't exactly in season. That reminded him that it was probably better in the long run if he did the shopping, even though he was already pressed for his time. But that was the life of a successful restaurant owner and chef. He added a half cup of sugar and waited for the mixture to simmer down.

"Hey Zeke, this came for you today," Molly, one of his main waitresses said.

Zeke looked up and smiled as he accepted the small red and white envelope. He knew what it was in regards to, as the reunion was the only thing Sharpay had been talking about for weeks. So it was only a formality that he be sent an invite in the first place because he was almost certain that Sharpay would murder…or worse yet, break up with him if he didn't come to the reunion.

"Thanks Molly," he replied, opening the envelope and examining the contents. The invitations that turned out pretty nice. Sharpay must be relieved now, he thought, she'd been worried that they would be spelled wrong.

But Zeke knew that he would have gone to the reunion even if his girlfriend hadn't been the coordinator. He was excited to see how his old friends had turned out. After high school, they'd all kept in touch as much as they could, but life changed and soon their connections broke even future. After all, he'd spent two years in France and Italy studying at the prestigious cooking school _Le Cordon Bleu_, only to move back to New York two years earlier and finally home to Albuquerque six months ago.

That being said, he was interested in catching up with his old teammates again. Last he'd heard, Troy had been signed on with the Boston Celtics after playing for a short time with the L.A. Lakers. He thought that Chad had been playing with the Lakers for a while, but being out of the country left Zeke out of the loop sport-wise.

Zeke shook his head as he walked into his office to look over the menus for the following day. At his restaurant, he shifted menus by day. That way, people got to try different things when they came to eat. He needed to get to the market for the fresh vegetables and fruit that made his restaurant known.

As he was walking out of the restaurant into the early spring sunshine, his cell phone sang _Bop to the Top_ at his side, signaling who was calling. Sighing, he clicked the green button.

"Hey Sharpay. Just the woman I was thinking of."


	2. Chapter 2

**So it seems that people added my story to their alerts, but no one added a comment. I really like it when my readers review. Please review after you read this chapter. It's nice to know that people are actually reading my stories. Again, please review!**

**_________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

The room was filled with the hoots and hollers of dedicated ball players. The noises bounced off the walls and seemed to make them energized. All players, that is, except for one particular and important man.

"Bolton! See me now!"

Troy sighed and pivoted, jogging back toward the center of court. He could already hear Coach's words in his head. The words that ran circles in his mind all said the same thing: he wasn't putting his head in the game. The idea alone was something that made him slightly ashamed. What would his father say in an instance such as this? Troy knew firsthand that Jack Bolton would tell him to focus and act like the player he was.

"Yeah Coach?" Troy said, meeting his mentor's eyes.

"What's the matter with you Bolton? You've been out of tune. At first, I let it slide. Even ball players have their off days. But it's gone on too long. You need to focus. You are a great player and a major asset to this team; but there are twenty guys who would _kill _to get your spot," the coach replied, his face the epitome of disapproval.

Troy hung his head. He knew that what coach said was true. Finally he met the eyes again. "I'm sorry Coach. I will be better."

The coach nodded and blew his whistle. "New play!" Within moments, the players had a new play assembled.

And true to his word, Troy gave a hundred and ten percent for the remainder of their practice. No coach could have been prouder of any particular player.

* * * * *

Troy wrapped the towel around his waist, stepped out of the shower and padded back toward his locker. He had several other things that he wanted to do today so he was in a hurry to get dressed. Their three hour long practice had gone into overtime and it was well past four o'clock in the afternoon by the time he'd stepped in the shower.

As he was pulling on jeans and a Celtics' tee-shirt, a voice behind him called his name.

"Hey Bolton, fan mail for you." A small bundle of letters came spinning through the air and Troy caught it with one hand. Usually he read each and every letter he received, but today was different. He was not in the mood to read about how great he was when he had never felt lower.

But the last letter in the stack caught his eye. It was the familiar symbol: the wildcat, that made him to a double take. Curious now, he ripped open the envelope and took out the letter inside. Scanning it, he was pleasantly surprised to see that East High was doing a ten-year reunion. That was something he could look forward to. He'd felt bad for not keeping in touch with his friends in the last decade.

Especially Chad.

Troy hated the fact that he hadn't talked to his oldest friend—since preschool—in more than two years. They'd simply become busy and lost track of each other. Now with the reunion, maybe they'd get back in touch. Troy felt lighter than he had in weeks. He couldn't wait to call Sharpay and RSVP.

* * * * * *

Hours later, Troy was finally home in his apartment. It was long past dark now and he was exhausted after spending more than four hours at practice. But his mind was focused, awake, and it made him unable to sleep.

Sighing, he sat down in front of his laptop and pushed the power button. When the homepage popped up, he clicked onto the internet and pulled up his email mailbox. The first email was from his father. Smiling now, he clicked to open it and settled back to read the weekly note from Jack Bolton.

_Hey Superstar!_

_How's Boston? Your mother's threatening to fly up to visit if you don't come down soon. I've tried to hold her off, but she's persistent. _

_Anyway, we won the championship! I'm really proud of the team this year…almost as proud as your team (both times)! On that note, I wanted to let you know that I've decided that this will be my last year. I know that I've been saying that for years, but this time, it's real. I've been coaching for twenty-five years. Now that your mother's retired, I want to be able to enjoy my time with her. I've already let the board know and they will be starting to look for a new coach. _

_Which leads me to my next note: I have a proposition for you. Now that I'm leaving, I don't want to leave East High in the hands of just any coach. I know that you are busy, but if you ever decide that professional basketball is too much, you know that you will always have a home at East High. _

_But don't listen to me, I'm just rambling. Anyway, if you don't come home soon, your mother will be on the next plane. See you Hoops!_

_-Dad_

Troy stared out the screen for a moment. He couldn't believe what he was reading. Perhaps if he stared at it long enough, the blatant truth would be false. His father had been talking about retirement for the last five years, but part of Troy hadn't really believed him.

He couldn't imagine East High without Jack Bolton to coach its basketball team. In twenty-five years, his father had coached fifteen teams—including two years when Troy had played—to district championships and seven to state championships. East High was well known for its basketball team and Troy didn't know what it would be like without Jack Bolton.

Troy sighed and ran his hands over his tired face. He glanced up at the plaque on the wall. He'd received it at high school graduation for his achievement on the court. And then he saw the Celtics jersey he'd been meaning to take to the drycleaners.

And for the second time in his life, he felt like he knew where he was going and what he was doing. Playing for the NBA had been exhilarating. He'd had his high, but now, he was missing something. Perhaps that something was back in Albuquerque.

Then he had an idea. What if he really did take his father's position? Could he achieve the same greatness that Jack Bolton had gotten? Troy knew that he needed to take that chance, to try for that dream.

Shooting a quick email back to his father so that his parents were assured that he was still alive, Troy searched the web for the Albuquerque School District website. Ten minutes later, he'd located the page for jobs. And within moments, he was filling out the application for the job of head coach at East High School.

As he had back in high school, he chose to dream big. Perhaps it was fate that had led him away from East High to experience the NBA. But it was definitely fate that had led him back to the place of his beginnings.

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

**"**Okay! Good job! Good shot!" Chad called from the sidelines as that orange ball went _swooshing_ through the net. A half-dozen middle-schoolers cheered as they congratulated each other for a good game. They all ran toward him and put their hands in the middle of the circle. Chad led them, as he had done for the Wildcats all those years ago, in their familiar cheer. Finally it was game over and the kids met up with their parents.

Chad waited until the last player had been picked up before he packed up the basketballs and other gear he brought with him. He enjoyed his position as coach of an after-school basketball league in a lower socioeconomic neighborhood in East Los Angeles. It was much more rewarding then the hundred grand he was making each year to play for the Lakers. He was loading the bag onto his shoulder when a voice behind him stopped him.

"Hey Superstar."

Chad turned around at the voice. It was a familiar one that never failed to brighten his day. It never failed to amuse him how his life had turned out. He never planned to be in Los Angeles. And he had definitely never planned to date his best friend's girl.

"How's my favorite detective today?" he asked, as she reached up to take one of the bags. Together, they walked to his truck.

Gabriella sighed. "Busy, tired a little peeved." She threw the heavy bag into the bed of Chad's truck.

Chad stopped in the process of unlocking his truck and turned to her. "What's wrong?" He put a hand on her cheek. She looked like she'd had a long day.

"I got an invitation to our high school reunion today. And my partner pressured me into talking to my chief. The chief was all for me going back to the party so he proceeded to give me the entire weekend off with one free day on either side of the reunion itself. So now I have no chance of not going."

Chad frowned. "Reunion? I haven't been home so I haven't seen my mail. I forgot that we get invited to these things. Mine's probably in my mailbox right now."

"I'm sure it is. And get this—Sharpay's the coordinator!" Gabriella exclaimed and laughed at Chad's shocked expression.

"Really, well, that's a new one. Apparently she changed because she never had any school spirit that I could see when we were in high school," Chad said and opened the door to his truck. "Did you drive?" he asked Gabriella, who shook her head.

"No, I have a cruiser drop me off. I figured I could bum a ride off my favorite Laker. And I knew that you'd be about finished with the practice now," she replied, circling to the other side to open the door and hop up onto the seat.

"Do you want me to drop you off at the station? If you are free later, maybe we could catch dinner of something," Chad suggested, putting the key in the ignition and turning the engine.

"Yes to the station and I need to see the captain before I say yes to dinner, but I'll call you in an hour," she said as Chad pulled the car up in front of the police station. Gabriella leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on Chad's cheek. "Goodbye now!"

Chad waved as waited until she had disappeared into the shadowed doors. As he pulled away from the curb, he mused at how much life had changed since high school.

Granted, he was still playing ball, but it wasn't so much his passion anymore. He'd only recently discovered how much he enjoyed teaching. That knowledge alone had made him want to go back to school and try for a teaching certificate.

But perhaps the most bizarre change in the past ten years was his relationship with Gabriella. After graduation, he'd stayed in contact with most of his former wildcats for the first two years. But after that, those connections had slowly fizzled out—just like his relationship with Taylor. After ten years, he'd lost contact with most of his former teammates and with friends like Martha and Kelsie.

Six years earlier, Gabriella had tracked him down because they were the only ones in Los Angeles. At first they'd been friends, and then their relationship had turned into one that was intimate. They could have been called significant others, but both had hearts that lay elsewhere so they'd simply settled on friends.

And now, Gabriella was as good a friend and confidante as Troy had been. Chad had been grateful for her presence. But would going back to East High change that relationship? Would they all become friends again? Would they settle into that pattern they'd been in during high school?

Chad hoped that there wouldn't be too much change.

As much as he'd enjoyed high school, he liked his life the way it was. He liked playing for the Lakers and coaching the kids. But mostly be liked being friends with Gabriella in a way that he hadn't been in high school.

He would go to the reunion, maybe with Gabriella as his date. And he would mingle with the rest of the wildcats, seeing how they've made their life and what they had become. But he would then come back to Los Angeles and resume his life in the way he'd carved it.

Chad's life wasn't perfect, but at least he could say that it was his own.


	3. Chapter 3

Kelsie opened the closet door and surveyed the contents. It was mostly filled with stuff they'd acquired over the years, kept because they had always planned to use them and to this day, still hadn't taken them out of their boxes. There were several wedding gifts that she'd forgotten they'd received as well.

But she wasn't in the mood for spring cleaning. Not with all that was looming on her mind right now.

Then the box came into her line of vision. Kelsie didn't really know what she was doing. After they'd received the invitation two days earlier all she could think of what high school. And at the moment, she was focusing on the reunion.

Granted, Kelsie didn't really have any bad memories from her time at East High. She had made many friends and had loved her time in high school. But she had worked hard to make herself into _something_ and going back to East High would make her become Kelsie Neilson, resident wall-flower again. And that was the last thing that she wanted.

But she'd promised Ryan and—though God only knows why—Sharpay. And Kelsie Neilson Evans didn't go back on her promises.

So here she was, about to waltz back down memory lane. Sighing, she reached above over her head and pulled down the box marked _East High Musicales._ As she pulled it down and carried it into the living room, her world tilted for a brief second and she was thrown into memories of the past.

**Flashback…**

_Kelsie sat in the musical room at East High. Her fingers danced over the piano keys as she rehearsed her newest composition. This was Troy and Gabriella's song. It was written for them. And no one, not even Sharpay Evans, was going to spoil it. _

_As she sang the chorus, she couldn't help but smile in happiness for everything that was going right. She wasn't just a wallflower anymore. She had friends and people that cared about her. Those same people liked her songs and made her look good._

_**We're breaking free**_

_**We're soaring**_

_**We're flying**_

_**There's not a star in heaven**_

_**That we can't reach**_

_Kelsie was lost in the melody for a brief second before the sound of clapping broke her run. She stopped playing and turned around suddenly. Then she saw him. _

_He was a dream, someone who understood her, who appreciated the need for music in the theatre. He was also, Kelsie reminded herself, Sharpay Evan's twin brother. And that made him so off limits. But nonetheless, she smiled. _

_"Hi!"_

_He walked further into the room and sat down next to her on the piano seat. "Is that the song for Gabriella and Troy?"_

_She looked down for a moment, worried of making a fool out of herself. "Yes," she mumbled._

_Ryan put his hand on her chin and drew her face up, her gaze meeting his. "Hey. Don't act like your music is worthless. You are a great musician and your music is what makes this musicale. Don't ever be ashamed of what you create."_

_She smiled and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek before scampering up and grabbing her papers. She gave a small wave before quickly exiting the room. It was a start of something new. _

**End Flashback…**

Kelsie was jolted forward twelve years in a quick second when her high school sweetheart came striding into the living room. She looked up in surprise. "Hey."

Ryan came to her, knelt beside her and dropped a kiss on her lips. "Hi, what are you doing?"

She sighed and turned the box so that he could read the writing on the side. He smiled knowingly. "So you decided that going back through our old musicals will give you some inspiration?"

"Well, I have to start somewhere. And Sharpay expects a full score in a matter of weeks so I have to do something very soon." She dipped in the box and pulled out a CD with the music from _Twinkle Towne_. She stood up and placed the CD in the player. Pressing play, she moved to the couch to listen to the mingling of the voices of East High.

Ryan moved to sit next to her. "Have you any ideas regarding the reunion musical?"

She shrugged. "Some, but it would be nice to maybe know where everyone ended up? I mean, did Troy and Chad make it big with the NBA? Is Gabriella a high-powered lawyer? Are she and Troy married? I have so many questions, but no answers."

"Well, maybe the musical should be about coming back together, not where we all ended up. I mean, our last musicale was about us in high school. Maybe this one should be about us back in high school. Maybe you take some of the old songs and combine them as a memory of high school. But there should be a song about how we ended up being different than what we all planned."

She broke a smile as Sharpay sang about sticking to the status quo. "That's it! Oh thank you! I have the perfect idea!" Kelsie jumped up and ran down the hall to the spare bedroom they'd turned into their music room.

Ryan watched her disappear behind the closed door and smiled to himself. Maybe this musical wasn't going to be as bad as Kelsie had believed it to be. At least Kelsie believed in her abilities to create the best musical East High had known in a long time. And that was half the battle.

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

Sharpay walked in the staff lounge and took a seat against the opposite wall. A few other staff members lingered around the table, waiting for the meeting to begin. Unfortunately, no staff meeting ever began on time; which meant that she would be spending more time that evening grading the essays she'd assigned her two English classes.

After Ms. Darbus has retired, Sharpay had snapped up the position. Unfortunately there wasn't enough interest in drama to make her a full-time drama teacher, so she had agreed to teach two sections of English.

Finally a long line of people filed into the room, ending with Principal Harrison. The principal waited briefly so that all the rustling had settled down. _Then, _they were ready to start!

Staff meetings, Sharpay thought as she doodled little stars on her paper, were quite possibly the most monotonous part of being a teacher. She could handle reading sixty identical essays on Shakespeare's influence in modern English language. But listening to Paul Harrison drone on about the state of their school made her nearly cry out in boredom.

But she handled it, as she did with everything else in line, with grace and confidence.

"Ms. Evans! Are we boring you?" Harrison's voice exploded through her thoughts. Sharpay looked quickly, remorse sliding over her face in a quick second. A few staff members snickered behind cupped hands or stacked papers. Sharpay glared before turning her attention back to her boss.

"No, no, I'm listening,"

"Well then you heard me say that I'd like more involvement in the theatre at East High. And as that is, I'm sure, your expertise?" Harrison questioned curtly.

Sharpay nodded. "Yes, my sentiments exactly. What do you suggest I do?" she straightened and moved her hand over her paper to hide her doodles.

"I'm sure that you'll think of something. We need the students to be excited about acting…as much as they are of basketball. East High is known for its basketball team. But I think that it can also be known for its drama department," Harrison replied. He looked pointedly at Sharpay who was nodding.

"Yes, of course, I wholly agree. I will come up with some ideas by tomorrow."

The principal nodded. "Good, now onto the math department…"

Sharpay was now allowed to resume her doodling and musing…at least until he came to the English department.

******

Hours later, Sharpay sat in her classroom grading the essays. She was finished with one whole class and halfway through the second. And just as she had assumed earlier, eighty percent of the essays were almost identical.

That's was you got for guiding the students through the process step-by-step, she thought as she marked yet another grammatical error. You'd think that by the time they were in high school, they'd at least know which 'to' to use.

Beside her on the desk, her cell phone began singing. She smiled and set down the pen to pick up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey Shar, how's school work?"

"Zeke, how'd you know I'd be looking for a distraction right about now?" she asked coyly. She glanced up at the clock and sighed. So much for a life after school. It was almost seven o'clock in the evening.

"It must have been fate," Zeke teased her quietly. "Listen, if you're not busy, why don't you come down to _Chez Rouge_ and I'll make you dinner?"

"Wow, what an offer. That would be really great except I have so much work to do," Sharpay answered forlornly. She glanced up at the clock again and decided that she could spend tomorrow night working if it meant that she'd get a date with her man.

"You know what? I will take you up on your offer. I'll be there in half an hour. Have a martini ready for me and I'll be your slave."

He laughed a deep sound that vibrated through the phone. "I think that I like that offer. See you in thirty."

"Toodles!" she shut her phone and grabbed her purse and coat. She could work another time. Some offers were too good to pass up.

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

Gabriella stared at the little white paper that had accompanied the reunion invitation. Her eyes moved to the pencil at the edge of the table and back to the paper. She couldn't bring herself to pick up the pencil.

Because picking up the pencil would mean filling out the form. And filling out the form would mean mailing it. And mailing it would mean that she was required to attend the reunion.

She was supposed to fill out the form with information about her life as it currently was. She was supposed to write down her job and family, etc and send it back to East High. All the information would be complied and used to create the musicale.

But it was the last thing that she wanted to do. Gabriella really didn't want to go to the reunion in the first place. Going back would mean that she had to face her past, her loves.

Gabriella had once loved Troy. In high school, she had believed that they would be together forever. But college changed everything. In the beginning, they had tried to do the long-distance thing. Then, life had gotten in their way and they had grown apart. Eventually they had simply just stopped talking to each other.

She sighed and thought of how life had turned out. Her life was good. She was doing a job that she loved and she was on her own. She had Chad when she needed him. But they weren't required to be anything for than friends. That was probably the best part of her life now. She had once loved Chad as more than friends. But perhaps both had felt a sense of duty to Troy and settled on a friendship.

Biting her lip, she picked up the pencil and filled in her name on the paper. _Gabriella Montez_. Next, education after high school. _Stanford University. _Major/minor_. criminal justice/pre-law._ Third, current occupation. _Detective, LAPD._

Then, she stopped. Setting the pencil down, she pushed her chair back and stood up. Raking a hand through her hair, she paced the length of her kitchen. She couldn't do this, not now…at least, not this moment. She wasn't ready to take that trip back down memory lane.

There was just too much at stake. Her perfectly crafted life could potentially crumble if she were to go home and see her high school friends. she hadn't done exactly what she had planned in high school and didn't want to go home and see people who expected her to be some high power lawyer when she was really just a cop.

Gabriella shook her head and grabbed her purse. She needed to get some air. Maybe then she'd be able to answer the reunion question.

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

Taylor was practically asleep. Well, she might as well been for all the stimulating activity before her.

She frowned, picking up her champagne flute and taking a sip. Tonight's gala was yet another political affair. If there was anything she hated most about being in politics, it was the obligatory dinners that were layered with the corruption and grandeur of government.

But, alas, she had chosen a life within the political arena so she was forced to make appearances.

She set her glass on the table and glanced up at the wall. The clock only read eight o'clock. She had to suffer through, at the very least, two more hours. These little affairs never ended before ten at night.

And to add to the already dreadful evening, her date was a politician who spent more time sleeping his way through Georgetown than he did working at the legislative session.

As she took another sip of her drink, she felt a hand creep dangerously close to the hem of her dress. Taylor pursed her lip in disgust as her hand closed over her salad fork. She leaned close to his ear. He smiled surely.

"Kent, if you don't remove your hand from my body within, say, the next three seconds, I will jam this fork into a particularly important part of your anatomy," she whispered for his ears only. She smirked slightly. "Let's just say that the prostitutes of DC won't be so accommodating anymore."

"Aww Taylor, don't be so prudish. I know that you want me, it's so obvious," he moaned slightly.

She raised an eyebrow and simply moved the fork closer. His breath hitched as he quickly moved his hand to cover that certain part of his body.

"I thought so," she said, and replaced the fork on the table. Taking the napkin, she dabbed at the corners of her mouth. "You know what Kent? I'm suddenly very tired. I think that I will call it a night. Anyway, I have to be in New York City early tomorrow and I still need to pack." She calmly rose and pushed her chair back toward the table, retrieving her clutch from the floor near her feet. Next, she moved quickly, but gracefully toward the exit, knowing that Kent was following closely at her heels.

He caught her arm before she could push open the door. She turned around and mentally threw daggers at him. "What!"

He shook his head, sadly as if he were disappointed. "People warned me about you. They all said that you were a bitch. But I wanted to see it for myself. And now that I have, I know that you are nothing but a cold-hearted bitch!" He dropped her arm and stepped back.

She arched a carefully shaped eyebrow. "I'm a bitch? Well, that's probably the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Kent the _cad!"_ She was practically vibrating with rage now.

"Resorting to name calling, are we?"

She shook her head. "You know, I don't you why I ever agreed to date you. You are nothing but a slime ball who uses his family's blueblood money to pave his way to Washington DC." Pivoting, she took her coat from the attendant and hurried out into the cool night air, leaving Kent Walker simmering in her wake.

Once outside, Taylor handed the valet her keys, grateful that she had met Kent at the gala, rather than him picking her up. Minutes later, she was driving away from the hotel toward her apartment in the heart of Georgetown.

The truth was, she really did need to pack for her trip. It was one of business, but Taylor had managed to wheedle a few extra days for a little pleasure. She was planning on seeing a few shows on Broadway; maybe do some shopping on 5th avenue.

Anything to get away from work for a little while.

As she walked in her building, she waving hello to the doorman and stepped into the elevator. She made her way to her door and unlocked it, eyeing the empty hallway. When she walked into the kitchen, she spied that little white information sheet that had come with her invitation.

She hadn't really thought about the reunion since the day she'd received the invite last week. At the time, she'd been adamant about not going. If she didn't go, her perfectly crafted life would stay the same. But if she went back, she might reconnect with old friends…and loves.

And now, after the scene at the gala, she was beginning to think that maybe she needed something different…a new scene. Maybe going home to Albuquerque would do her some good. She could see her parents, do the reunion thing, donate to the scholarship fund, and maybe even sing in the reunion musicale.

She smiled as she eyed the clock. It was only half past eight. She could pack quickly later. Picking up a pen, she sat down to fill out the paper. Maybe a small dose of East High was what she really needed.

**Okay, please, please review! I like to hear what my readers have to say. Anything, both good and bad comments would suffice. Other than that, I hope that you enjoyed this update. Keep a look out for future updates!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I know that it has been forever since I've updated this story. I promise you that I haven't forgotten it…even if you have **** I really appreciate reviews. Please tell me how I am doing, both good and bad. Enjoy!**

Sharpay parked her car in front of _Chez Rouge_, climbed out and walked to the entrance. As she opened the door, she was greeted with a multitude of tantalizing smells. People packed the mismatched chairs and tables—something that Zeke said added to the homey ambiance.

She threaded her way through the crowd to the back of the room where the bar took up nearly the entire wall. Taking a seat on an empty stool, she waited for someone to tell her where Zeke was.

Then she saw him exit the kitchen. He was wearing his uniform, a white jacket and apron. He also wore a hat—which Sharpay knew what mostly for show. But, he did look good in it.

He waved when his gaze settled on her. She smiled when he leaned over and spoke to the bartender. Then he wandered over to meet her.

"Hi."

She smiled. "Hi yourself. How's the kitchen?" she leaned over the counter to kiss his. When she pulled back, he answered.

"Great! It's hopping. Can you believe it? I am the owner of one of the hottest restaurants in the city!" he said, turning around for a moment when the bartender set a bottle of mineral water and a martini complete with three olives. "Thanks."

Her eyes widened as she took a sip. "Wonderful. Thank you. That's just what I needed. I've been reading dozens of very identical essays on Shakespeare."

"I'm glad that I could help. How's the reunion planning been going?" he skirted around the counter and took a seat next to Sharpay.

She shrugged and took a sip of the martini. Swallowing, she spoke, "its good. I've been waiting for the information sheets—which you've yet to return to me, by the way—then I can send them off to Kelsie. I'm hoping that they will help her with the composing. Other than that, it's good. My classes will be beginning the auditions for the musicale in two weeks."

"Have you decided which musical you're doing yet?"

She smiled. "I've decided to go back to our roots. Since it _is_ our ten year reunion. I'm doing _Twinkle Towne_. I think that it will be fun to see the students do the performance again."

"Are the kids excited?" Zeke reached for a menu and handed one to Sharpay. She took it, opening it and perusing her options before answering.

She shrugged. "Yes and no. Harrison wants me to make it a requirement that all drama students audition because he feels that there isn't enough interest in the program. While I tend to agree, I don't want people who aren't in it for the fun of being on stage to do it. I suppose that I will have them all audition and then see how it goes."

"Well, it is about breaking out of the status quo," Zeke pointed out. Then he smirked. "Have you told your kids that everyone—including the basketball players—will be auditioning?"

She shook her head, a wicked grin on her face. "Not yet, I only learned about it today. This is partially the reason that I pushed auditions back a week. I hope that if I give them two weeks, they won't make a complete fool on stage." They both looked up as a waitress appeared next to them.

"I'll have the onion soup and a side salad—dressing on the side, please," Sharpay said, smiling as she handed the menu to the waitress. Zeke ordered the shrimp fettuccini.

When the waitress moved away, Zeke turned to her again. "So will you be telling them tomorrow?"

She nodded and took a sip of her martini. "Yes, I think that I'll do it at the end of class so that they aren't so disagreeable during class. Then they'll walk away cursing me."

Zeke cocked his head and studied her thoughtfully. "You really enjoy what you do, don't you?"

At this she smiled brightly. "Yes. It was a shock for me because never in a million years did I imagine that _I _would be the next Ms. Darbus. But after I lost that Julliard scholarship and came back to help her with the drama department, I discovered how much I liked teaching and working with the students. They are so much like us when we were in high school that it's scary sometimes. But for the most part, I truly enjoy what I do for a living."

"Do you miss center stage?" Zeke took a drink of his mineral water.

She shook her head. "No, I thought that I would—back then—but now, I very much like directing. I discovered that I get my way much more often if I'm the director than if I'm the lead," she answered with a smile.

He chuckled, thinking back to their days in high school. "And you definitely like having your own way."

She feigned shock. "What's that supposed to mean?" Laughter danced in her eyes.

He leaned closer and kissed her. Pulling back, he looked her in the eyes. "It means that I know you and I can see how much fun you are having. But most of all, it means that I love you."

She grinned as the waitress arrived with their food. When she'd left, Sharpay leaned closer to Zeke's ear. "Good, because I love you too. And I'm so glad that you are in my life right now."

As they sat back to enjoy their food, Sharpay couldn't help but thank God that she hadn't been too stubborn when Zeke had announced his love for her in high school. Because next to becoming the drama teacher at her alma mater, he was the best thing that had ever happened in her life.

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

Troy stared at the envelope in his hands. He hadn't expected a reply so soon. After all, it had only been a week since he'd sent the application. And now the school was requesting an interview.

He smiled when he thought of his father's face. Jack Bolton would be—if he didn't already know, that is—thrilled that his son could possibly be coaching at East High. Troy really wanted this job so he hoped that the school board liked his interview.

Not only would Jack be thrilled, his mother would be ecstatic. Troy laughed to himself at the thought of Lucille Bolton's face when he told her that he was moving back to Albuquerque.

But first things first, Troy realized, he needed to contact the school and set up an interview time.

Reaching for the phone, he dialed the number as it was written on the letter. It took several minutes of pushing various numbers for different departments before he finally got the principal's line.

"Hello, I'm Troy Bolton. I am calling about scheduling an interview for the coaching position. I submitted an application and resume last week and received a letter today," Troy said when Principal Harrison came to the phone. "Yes, yes, Next Wednesday will be fine. What time? O-okay, three-thirty. Great. Thanks so much."

Troy pushed the end button and stared at the phone for a second. This was really happening. He was about to go back to Albuquerque for the first time in more than six years. Shaking his head, he replaced the phone and booted up his laptop. He needed to book a flight and phone his parents to see if they'd welcome him to the guest bedroom for a few days.

He wasn't planning to stay long. Two days tops. If he could get the interview over with quickly, he would fly back to Boston and wait for a reply. After all, he would be back in Albuquerque in a matter of weeks for the reunion.

But, Troy reasoned, maybe by then, he'd have a more permanent reason to fly back home. If that was the case, he needed to see about an apartment. Troy wanted to buy a house at some point, but figured that an apartment would do until he got his footing.

If he went home in June for the reunion and returned to tie up loose ends in Boston, then he'd be settled by July and would then be ready for the start of the new school year.

Troy looked up the phone again contemplating his next mood. It wasn't that he didn't want his father to know what he was planning to do. But, he just didn't know how to say it. Jack Bolton loved his job. There were not many people who could say that, but Jack could.

And now, when Jack's illustrious career was coming to an end, Troy didn't want to hurt his feelings by announcing that he was vying for his father's position. Even if it had been offered ever so subtly in the email.

Sighing, he knew it had to be done—especially since he was looking forward to one of his mother's home cooked meals during his time back home. He picked up the phone and dialed that familiar number.

When the opposite line clicked on and Jack's voice came through the phone, Troy took a deep breath. "Hey dad, it's me. I have some good news."

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

Sharpay glanced at the clock. It was less than ten minutes before the bell was scheduled to ring. She was debating whether she wanted to handle complaints from her class for those last ten minutes or whether she should wait a few more minutes. She sighed and decided to just go for it.

She walked to the front of her class and motioned for everyone to put down their pencils. "Okay, so that little exercise was long and annoying, I know, but necessary. Now on to the update for the musicale. How many people are planning to audition?"

Sharpay mentally counted the half-dozen or so hands that shot up. She sighed again. It was the same students who always auditioned for the musicals. "Only eight hands? People, this is an advanced drama class. _Everyone _should be auditioning." No one made a move. She shook her head and prepared to make her announcement.

"It has been decided that there is a new rule regarding auditions. Principal Harrison had announced that there _all_ drama students are to audition. That means that each person sitting in this room will be required to audition with pre-selected material—" she was cut off with groans and complaints from half the room. Holding up her hand, she stopped the noise. "Because of this rule, I have decided to push back auditions another week. We will have then two weeks from today, rather than next week. If you are planning to use the piano, please see Rory Wilde in advance. She is usually in the music room before and after school. A CD player will be available as well. Any questions?"

People had questions, that she could see, but no one spoke up. The bell rang and the students jumped up, complaints lost in the sound thundering feet. She sighed and took a seat at her desk, grateful that this was her planning period.

So it didn't go over that well, she mused. She knew that it wouldn't simply because there were a few students who were in drama because it was easier than many other electives.

Exactly like some of the students that had been in her drama class ten years earlier.

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

** Please review! Thanks! **


	5. Chapter 5

Troy stepped up to the door of the same school he'd attended a decade earlier. Never in a million years did he think that he'd be back, especially for a job interview. Everything looked the same, he thought, the schools, the grounds; it was all identical to when he'd attended as a student.

He grinned for a moment, thinking of his parents' reactions to his new job. His father, of course, had already been alerted of Troy's application and had been expecting him to call to ask for a place to stay. Lucille, on the other hand, had been so thrilled that she said he didn't have to worry about Christmas or birthday gifts for the next few years. She would give anything to have her son within driving distances.

So here he was, about to step out of one world and into another. This one wasn't as foreign as the one he'd stepped into ten years ago, but in its own way, it was still nerve-wracking.

Taking a deep breath, he tugged down the jacket of his suit and reached for the door handle. Here goes nothing, he thought wryly, as he walked inside toward the main office.

The first change he saw when he stepped in the main office was that the secretary was different. This one was a blond woman who was, according to her name plate, named Sonja. She glanced up at him and smiled.

"Can I help you?"

Troy nodded quickly. "Yes, I'm Troy Bolton. I'm here for a job interview."

Her smile stayed in place as she rose. "Of course. If you'll just have a seat. I'll tell Principal Harrison." She disappeared through another door on the opposite wall.

Troy sat in plush chair. It was newer, he thought, than the ones that had graced the main office when he'd been a student. Come to think of it, the whole office looked as though it had gotten a major over-hall.

Not that he'd been expecting things to look exactly the same, he told himself. Nothing stayed the same forever.

"Troy?"

Troy glanced up, rose quickly when he saw the principal come out of his office. He held out a hand, took the offered one. "I'm Troy Bolton."

The man chuckled. "I'm well aware of who you are. It's me who should be making the introductions. I'm Paul Harrison."

Troy smiled nervously. "Nice to meet you."

Sensing Troy's hesitance, Paul motioned to his office. "Likewise. How about we go into my office and get started?" He turned and walked inside the little room.

Troy glanced around the room as he sat in a chair opposite Harrison. He'd never been to the principal's office when he'd been a student so he couldn't say whether this one was out of the ordinary. Every inch of the walls, however, were covered by a picture or a banner or _something_. He nearly smiled when he saw several pictures of the Varsity basketball team.

Harrison followed his gaze, "your father is quite the basketball coach. I've heard the stories of your years here. We've been stars ever since."

Troy nodded. "East High holds a special place to me."

"That's good to know. So tell me, what made you decide to leave the MBA? You're an all-star."

Troy took a breath, thinking of the words he'd rehearsed. "It lost its luster. I don't love it as much as I once did. I wanted to try something else. And I have a teaching degree that I've never really used."

Nodding, the principal made some notes on his paper. "What is your vision for this school, for our basketball team?"

"I want them to win. I think that I've learned enough about basketball to make that happen. But more so, I want them to realize that its more than the game. It's about being a team and in order to act as a team, you have to put your heart into the game."

Harrison made more notations. "Do you believe that a basketball player can be nothing more than a jock?"

Troy had expected this question, had wanted to answer it. He shook his head. "Yes, I do. I managed to break the status quo here when I was a student and my hope is that I can inspire my students to do the same. There's more to life than basketball."

Harrison noted something else, and then set down his pen. "Now I'm going to ask you about your philosophy for physical education. Can you inspire the students to want to better themselves physically?"

Troy took a deep breath. He felt as though he'd just completed the longest marathon in the world. Now that he'd gotten past the coaching part of the job, the teaching thing was a breeze. He answered each question honestly and completely. By the time he was standing to shake Paul Harrison's hand before leaving, he had a very good feeling about this position.

Even as he was driving back toward his parent's house with the knowledge that he would be contacted within three business days about the job, he felt that he'd nailed it.

And for the first time in a long time, he felt like he'd actually accomplished something. Now it was on to the waiting game.

Troy couldn't help but be excited. He truly felt that it was the start of something new. And like he had back in high school, he was going to embrace it and ride it for all that it was worth.

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

Kelsie smiled as she logged off her computer. She'd spent the better part of the last month working furiously on her score for the reunion musical. It had taken more than two weeks for Sharpay to send the information sheets on all of the graduates. But once she'd received them, Kelsie had been working like a fiend on the music.

She'd been surprised to say the least when she'd received the information sheets from Sharpay. It had been interesting and entertaining to read about her classmate's lives. She had been wowed more than a few times when there were a number of people whose lives had ended up completely different than what had been planned in high school.

But now, the musical was done. She considered it alongside all other accomplishment she was known for. It was just as good as any score she'd ever written for Broadway.

More than that, it was like going back to her roots. She'd discovered that she had thoroughly enjoyed the time she'd spent working on it.

Even when it meant staying up late or waking up early to balance all of her other projects.

None of that mattered now, she thought with a smile. It was done, printed out and ready to be sent via currier over-night to her sister-in-law in Albuquerque. She rose from the desk and gently placed the stack of papers in the envelope.

Turning when she heard the front door of the apartment open, she hurried out of the room. "I've finished!"

Ryan grinned as he dropped his bag on the floor and caught her when she launched herself at him. "You're done? Completely?"

She nodded, her smile infectious. "The script is typed and I have the recorded music right here. All ready to be sent to Sharpay."

He placed his hands on her face and pulled her close, laying his lips on hers. "I love you, Kelsie. You are amazing. This musical, just like the others, is going to be amazing."

"Damn right," Kelsie answered on a grin, making Ryan smile at her enthusiasm. "Now all I have to do is put the finishing touches on _Alice_. Then we will be good to go."

"You are a superstar, Kelsie Neilson-Evans." He pulled her close again. "You're my superstar."

She giggled and pulled back. "Now don't go starting anything. We both have work to do." Then she smiled coyly. "Hey, maybe if you help me, we will be able to go out and celebrate on the town."

"That's a deal." He raised an eyebrow. "But can we start something later tonight?"

She grinned mischievously and took his hands to pull him down the hall to their home office. "I would expect nothing less of my wonderful husband."

"You have to tell me where we are going. You can't leave me in the dark."

Ryan turned away from their closet where he was choosing his clothes to face his wife. Kelsie stood in the doorway of their bedroom tapping her foot impatiently. She was already dressed and waiting.

Except that her husband refused to give up their plans.

"It's a surprise," he reminded her as he buttoned his jacket smartly and dropped a kiss on her pouty lips. "I love you."

She narrowed her eyes. "You can't say that when I'm mad at you."

"I can say it whenever I want. We're married, remember?" Ryan replied, pushing her toward the foyer. He reached for her coat and slipped it over her shoulders.

She rolled her eyes and couldn't help but smile. "How could I forget?" She turned, slipped her arms around his neck. "I love you Ryan. More than I ever thought I could."

He smiled, pulling her into another kiss. But he ended it chastely. "We are not starting anything now. I am not going to be distracted from your surprise."

She tilted her head curiously. "Oh really? Is that how I could have gotten you to give up your secret?"

Shaking his head, he opened the door and took her hand, tugging her out to the elevator. "Not happening, Kelse. We are going out to dinner to celebrate. You promised, remember? Besides, I think that you will really like your surprise."

"I hate surprises," she reminded him as they stepped out into the lobby and walked toward the door.

"I know…that's why it is so fun to surprise you." He hailed a cab and grinned at her. "But really, you are going to like this one."

Her laugh rang out and followed them into the cab as it headed uptown.

Taylor sipped from her water glass and tapped her foot nervously. She wasn't sure why she was here. She'd been surprised when Ryan Evans had called her and asked if she was going to be in New York. She should have said no, but the truth was, she was really looking forward to seeing her old friends.

So why not start a few weeks early?

And yet, she was still nervous. It had been so long since she'd seen the people she'd known in high school. She knew that Ryan and Kelsie had married recently and were well-known on the Great White-Way.

She shook her head at how ridiculous she sounded. These were her friends, for heaven's sake. She had no reason to be nervous. There was nothing to prove so she might as well sit back and enjoy the ride.

Kelsie's eyes widened as she stepped out of the cab and waited for Ryan to pay their fare. They were in front of her very favorite restaurant—one that happened to have a waiting list nearly as long as she was tall. She struggled not to gawk as she turned back to her husband.

"Surprised?" He asked, slipping an arm around her waist. "I wanted to make this special for you. We are celebrating your finishing the musical and finishing the score. We are done for a while. I thought that such accomplishments deserved a special dinner."

She smiled, stepping up on her toes to kiss his cheek. "I am very surprised. And very happy. So is this my surprise?"

Grinning, he reached to open the front door and give the maitre'd his name. As they walked toward the table, he pulled her up next to him. "No," he said, turning her, "that's your surprise."

Kelsie's eyes widened for the second time in several minutes. She turned back to her husband, a mile-wide grin on her face. "I don't believe it," she breathed, letting go of his hand and hurrying to their table. "Taylor!"

Taylor rose when she saw Ryan and Kelsie walked toward the table. She caught Kelsie on a strangled cry and hugged her tightly, despite their surroundings. "Hey Kelse, long time no see."

"I can't believe you're here. In New York." She frowned, pulling back as Ryan held out a chair for her. "Wait, why are you here in New York? You live and work in DC."

Taylor laughed as she took her seat again. "I work for the special prosecutor's office. I often have to travel up and down the Eastern Seaboard for cases. I spend quite a bit of time in the city actually. Ryan called me, asked if I would meet you two for dinner. How could I refuse?"

Kelsie smiled. "Well I'm glad you didn't refuse. It's so good to see you. I got your information card with the others for the reunion."

"So you are really writing another musical for the reunion?"

Kelsie nodded as a waiter appeared at their table. "Yes, I am. I think that it will be fun. I already sent it off to Sharpay who will be mailing the parts to the correct people. You should get yours soon."

Taylor paused as the waiter served them Ryan's favorite wine. Kelsie and Ryan had dined at this particular exclusive restaurant enough times for their preferences to be known. "I don't know about another musical. It's been so long since I've sung anything."

"You will be outstanding," Kelsie assured her, touching her hand gently. "Besides, it isn't a hard part or anything. I realize that we've all changed so I made sure that the musical wouldn't be too technical. Don't worry about it."

Taylor smiled and nodded. "I won't…I'm actually looking forward to going home for a few days. It's been so long since I've been to Albuquerque and I definitely need the break. Washington is wearing on me."

"So tell me what you've been up to…I mean, I read your little information card, but tell me anyway," Kelsie took a sip of her wine, smiling broadly.

Shrugging, Taylor glanced down at the menu. "Nothing really. My life is all about work right now."

"No social life?" Ryan asked, a wry grin on his face. "No boyfriend or anyone special?" Kelsie momentarily glared at him for prying, but she glanced back at Taylor, hoping she'd answer.

"No one special. I'm seriously married to my job. The only social life I have is related to work when I have to attend these dull political dinners. So not my favorite part of the job."

Kelsie smiled and glanced up as their waiter appeared next to the table. They each gave their orders and waited until they were alone again to speak. "I think this reunion is just what you need then…get out and have fun."

Grinning, Taylor sipped her water. "I think so too. My mom is so thrilled that I'm going to be staying with them for a few days. I haven't been home in more than a year so it will be nice to catch up."

"I know, my parents are pretty happy as well. Sharpay's so excited that we are coming home too. She usually comes out to the city during her school breaks, but really wants us to come back home," Ryan added as he unrolled his napkin and placed it on his lap.

"Enough about me. Tell me what you guys have been up to," Taylor replied, smiling.

"We've been busy," Kelsie said with a sigh. "I just finished my newest score. It should be on Broadway in a few months. Between that and this musical, I've been swamped."

"And you live in uptown?"

Ryan nodded. "We have a penthouse in the theatre district. We figured that it was best to live near our work."

"We've all come a long way, haven't we?" Taylor replied. She grinned as Kelsie and Ryan both nodded. "But in a good way," she added.

"It was really interesting to read the comment cards from everyone. To see how much change there has been in the past decade—and too see that some things worked out like we'd hoped," Kelsie said, inconspicuously placing her hand over Ryan's.

Taylor caught the gesture and her meaning. "You two are so cute."

Ryan laughed, squeezing his beloved's hand. "Yeah, we get that a lot. Don't we Kelse?"

Kelsie rolled her eyes and shrugged. "What can I say? My fairytale came true so naturally I'd like to see my friends happy. It's the curse of being newlyweds, I hear."

"Oh I've missed everyone," Taylor chuckled into her water glass. "I've missed the camaraderie we had back then. Even though I have a pretty full life now, I still miss all those wonderful friendships." She leaned in closer, whispering conspiratorially, "so tell me the dirt on everyone else. Just so I know what to expect when I get home."

Kelsie's eyes twinkled and she matched Taylor's stance. "Okay," she whispered, before adding "but let's eat first," as their waiter returned to the table with a tray of plates.

Once they had their entrees and their glasses topped off, Kelsie grinned at both her husband and her old friend. "Okay. First of all, the most surprising of news is that—although you probably already know this—Gabrielle is a cop, not a lawyer like she always planned."

Taylor nodded, sampling a bite of her Crab Louie. That she did know. "Yes, I haven't seen Gabrielle is almost three years, but I knew that she went into the police academy. She did go to school for pre-law though and decided to change at the last minute."

Kelsie shrugged, swallowing a bite of her salmon, "plans change I suppose. Some things stayed the same though. Both Chad and Troy went into the NBA. And Martha and Jason are married with her owning a dance studio."

"I'm glad it worked out for them. Gosh, I haven't seen Chad in years. In college, we just lost touch. Long distance relationships are hard to keep up."

"All in all, it will be really great to see everyone again. To see Ms. Darbus," Ryan interceded. "Shar told me that she's planning on coming. She wants to see how her students, her kids turned out as much as the rest of us."

They finished the rest of their meal and talked into the night, reminiscing about their old friendships. All three of them couldn't wait to see what was to come.


	6. Chapter 6

"No! Not there—over on the other side. Go to the left, just a little bit. Yes—there!" Sharpay directed as she and her stagehands hurried to put the finishing touches on the set. With only a week until opening night, there was a lot to do and not nearly enough hours in the day.

Sharpay had stopped counting the hours she'd spent at school days earlier and was almost at the point where she just wanted to through up her hands and wish for the entire thing to be over. Even so, she was in her element and was happy to see her students take a serious and committed interest in the musical.

"Ms. Evans, where do you want the hot air balloon?"

She sighed and turned toward the voice. "On the right side of the stage, Erik." Glancing at her watch, she clapped her hands to draw attention. Okay everyone, it's almost six o'clock. I think that we all need to go home and decompress. We will have another few days of set-up before we need to run through the musical with the actual set. Are there any questions?"

"Do we get extra credit for coming in early tomorrow?" Shane Jackson—whose pessimism reminded her of Chad Danforth, and yet whose diligence and skill always made her smile—asked, with a smirk.

Laughter spread through the auditorium as students hurried to grab their belongings. Sharpay rolled her eyes and shook her head. "No, Shane. You do not get extra credit. All you get in the knowledge that you have gone above and beyond for your fellow cast members. Now…out! I want to go home as much as you do, so I will see everyone bright and early in class tomorrow."

Sharpay moved quietly about the stage, straightening the set and moving props to their proper place. Although it had been more than a decade since she'd thought about this particular musical, it had always been one of her favorites and one that she'd never forgotten how the stage was supposed to look.

It was the quiet moments like this one, she realized, that made her recall her immense love for the theatre. She had spent her time in the spotlight, on stage amongst the music and motion, but she could cheerfully spend hours in an empty theatre simply because it was the one place where she'd truly felt at home.

"I thought I'd find you here." She jumped at the sound of ever-so-familiar voice. Turning around, her smile widened as she saw her twin brother two-step down the main aisle. She clapped her hands even as her feet carried her across the stage and into Ryan's open arms.

"What are you doing here?" she squealed, laying her cheek on his. She leaned back as he gently set her on the ground, but still kept his arms around her. "I thought you guys weren't due in until Thursday!"

Ryan grinned and shrugged. "We got an earlier flight and Kelsie _really_ wanted to get her hands in on the rehearsals. She's fully prepared to assist in whatever area you need her."

Sharpay nodded. "Oh thank God. I would love her help. But don't you guys want to visit with mom and dad, or Kelsie's family? It's been months since you were out here."

"We will do all that and more. But this musical and the new one are Kelsie's babies. She has seen them from their inception and would love to have a hand in the rest of the germination process."

She rolled her eyes and hugged him again, harder. "I think you're mixing your metaphors there, my dear brother."

Shrugging, Ryan glanced at his watch and hooked an arm over his sister's shoulder. "Come on, Miss English teacher. Let's go home. Mom has dinner all set up. She even called Zeke." He angled his head as they stepped into the lobby and she turned to lock the auditorium doors. "You never mentioned that you two were serious. I had to hear it from our mother. She is apparently crazy about him."

Sharpay rolled her eyes. "She loves him because he can cook and—as much as I love her—she cannot. But really, we've been on and off since high school, but until recently haven't been in the same city."

At his dry look, she relented, "we are comfortable. No steps have been taken yet, but it's pretty serious."

"These are the things you tell your brother, so that he can talk to the boyfriend and find out his intentions," Ryan quipped as they arrived at her car. He'd been dropped off at the school with the intention of riding home with her.

"Oh, please. It's Zeke Baylor. He's harmless and you've known him just as long as I have." She opened the car door and, stowing her purse and bag in the backseat, got inside to start the engine.

"Still, its tradition."

She grinned as she pulled out of the parking lot. "I'm really glad you're home, Ryan. I've missed you."

"Same here, Shar, same here."

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

"Is this crazy?" Gabriella asked, setting down the book she had only been attempting to read.

"What? Going to the reunion?" Chad took the buds out of his ear and set his IPod on the fold-out table.

She sighed and shook her head. "There is that. But I was referring to us. Us traveling together, going to the reunion together."

"Well, there isn't really and _us_, so we are just two old friends who are both on our way to our high school reunion. I don't think we have anything to worry about." He reached over and covered her hand with his. "Don't worry. Just have fun."

She tried to smile, for Chad's sake and turned her hand over in his until their palms were together and their fingers were linked. "What would I do without you? You are the best non-boyfriend a girl could ask for."

His quiet chuckle stayed with her as she forced herself to read her book for the remainder of the flight.

Her mother's waving arms and smiling face were the first images of Albuquerque that greeted Gabriella as she and Chad made their way off the plane and through the airport.

Renee Montez hurried to meet them and threw her arms her daughter. "My baby! I can't believe that you're really here."

Gabriella laughed and tightened her grasp. "It's so good to see you, Mama."

Renee broke away, but kept an arm around her daughter's waist. She smiled at Chad, "it's very good to see you as well, Chad. Thank you for seeing my daughter home safely."

"You do remember that I am a cop, right, Mama?" Gabriella rolled her eyes and reached down to pick up her bag.

Chad leaned down and kissed Renee on the cheek. "It was, as always, my pleasure."

Renee waved away Gabriella's quip. "No matter what you do for a living, you will always be my baby and I will always worry for your safety."

"And on that note, shall we be on our way, ladies?" Chad reached for his bags and led them out of the airport.

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

Kelsey barely stifled a yawn as she and Ryan made their way out of his parent's house to the guest house where they were staying. They walked close together, she leaning against his side in her tired state.

"I can't remember the last time I've been so utterly exhausted," she murmured.

He pulled her closer, and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "It's been a busy few weeks."

"Wildly busy," she agreed, "but wonderfully amazing all at the same time. I am certain that I am more excited about this reunion and the musical here, than I was about the premier of _Alice_."

He reached for the door, pushing it open and led them both into the spacious guest house that stood on the far corner of his parent's sprawling estate. "You are amazing, Kelse, a champion. Everything you've accomplished—you are a superstar."

She smiled, turned to face him as he flipped on the lights to brighten the small sitting room. "Why thank you. And you aren't too bad yourself. I always enjoy my work and put my whole self into it, but working on this musical has been so special because it is a true testament to where I—we—came from."

Ryan leaned down and pulled her to him in a kiss. "I love you, more than anything in the world, Kelsey."

Her eyes twinkled and, her tiredness momentarily forgotten, she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the bedroom. "Why don't you show me how you feel."

"My pleasure." And muffled her laughter with his lips.

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

The warmth of the late spring sunshine streamed in though the bedroom window androused Taylor from a lovely dream. She opened her eyes and lay in bed, basking in the ability to wake naturally. She couldn't remember the last time she hadn't had to awake to an alarm.

Granted, her ideal situation would in a bungalow on a foreign and decidedly tropical beach.

But, she supposed, beggars couldn't be choosers. She was glad that she'd been able to take a mini vacation—even if it was to her parent's home, and for her high school reunion.

She sat up in bed and looked around the room she'd spent the first eighteen years of her life in. It had changed over the years—especially of late when her mother had painted it a pale blue color and redecorated it into the guest bedroom.

Shifting, she climbed out of bed and walked across the room toward the door, intent on making her way to the bathroom. With the door closed and the light on, she studied herself in the mirror.

It was weird, she thought, to be back in the place she'd been gone from so for long. Granted, it wasn't as if her hometown held back memories that she'd been running from. On the contrary, rather, she had left to fulfill her dreams and in the years since, hadn't looked back.

Still, to be back in Albuquerque, in her childhood home was definitely going to take some getting used to.

She still looked the same. Of course, she looked a little older, wiser, worldlier, but for the most part, her outward appearance was the same as it had been in high school.

Not that keeping herself the same hadn't taken some work, she thought with a slight chuckle. She'd been blessed with her mother's wide hips and slower metabolism and had in recent years grown a penchant for working her ass off in the gym in order to keep herself in Washington's society's social graces.

But regardless, she could only hope that her friends saw similarities with the person she'd been in high school.

Rolling her eyes, she chastised herself. She rarely considered how others saw her. By her estimations, it was far easier to be unreachable than to allow the society pages to break her down. Why were her highs school classmates any different?

Reaching over to turn the shower on, she knew that in some ways they were different. She told herself that realistically, they'd all changed. That's what people did after they left high school. Their worldly ambitions changed them, sometimes for the bad, but hopefully for the good. To make them into better, more mature people.

Slipping out of her pajamas, she told herself that she was going to stop worrying about it. The reunion and the musical would happen whether she liked it or not, so she might as well enjoy it.

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

"No! No 'nana! I want cookie," two-year-old Sadie Cross pouted as she proceeded to systematically drop the banana pieces off her tray onto the floor.

Martha sighed as she turned from the sink where she'd been unloading the dish washer to her stubborn daughter. "No cookie. Right now, you eat the banana." She tried to keep the annoyance out of her voice as she bent down to clean up the mess on the floor.

"Want cookie!"

"Come on, sweetie. Eat your breakfast like a good girl." She placed the sip cup of milk on the high chair tray, only to watch Sadie immediately toss on the floor.

Taking a deep breath, Martha picked the cup up, set it on the table and reprimanded her daughter. "Sadie. Stop it. You need to eat your breakfast."

Whether it was the tone of her mother's voice or the fact that she wasn't getting what she wanted, Sadie burst into tears of frustration and began hitting the plastic tray with her hands.

_Lord, help me_, Martha thought as she reached to unhook the tray and lift her screaming and writhing daughter out of the chair. The child continued to scream and kick at her mother and Martha was certain that the hard imprints of the baby walking shoes were being tattooed into her ribs. "Shhh…Sadie. Come on, baby. There's no need to be so upset. Mama's sorry."

"What's all this?" Jason kept his voice neutral as he walked into the room. He'd been in the shower upstairs and hadn't heard all of the commotion until he'd descended the stairs.

"She wanted a cookie for breakfast," Martha replied simply as she passed their red-faced, blubbering child off to her husband.

Jason shifted the baby so that he could see her face. "Come on, Sadie. What do you say we get you cleaned up and then go watch Pooh Bear?" he asked, speaking of Sadie's favorite television show.

The little girl sniffled, but thankfully stopped crying. At the sound of Pooh Bear, a small smile cracked on her face. She nodded and clutched at her father's shirt as Jason took the wash cloth his wife handed him and wiped at Sadie's hands and face.

"Okay, let's go. What episode do you want to watch today? The one with the windy day or the one with Christopher Robin?"

Martha sent her husband a grateful smile as he led the baby out of the kitchen into the family room. Even as she heard him turn on the television, she heard her determined daughter ask her father hopefully, "cookie?"

She chuckled and turned back to the mess in the kitchen. A glance at the clock told her that she would have to hurry if she was going to make her ten o'clock modern dance class. And after work, there was the meeting with Kelsie and Sharpay about the musical.

Family, children and dance. Such was her life, but she wouldn't have it any other way.

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

**Okay, so I know that it has been a very long time since I last updated. And for that I am sorry. But I have an excuse: I am in college, majoring in English, so between reading and writing for school, I don't even had time to read for fun—let alone do fun writing. **

** But really, I haven't forgotten about this story. I can only hope that it lives up to your expectations. I also lost my inspiration for a little while, though it was strangely renewed today. **

** I would love a review! Tell me what you like about the story so far, just so that I know I still have some readers out there. Other than that, ENJOY!**


	7. Chapter 7

Gabrielle eased the car into Chad's parent's driveway. Her mother had willingly loaned her the car for the day so she had agreed to pick Chad up on their way out for the day. They were planning to go to lunch and then to East High to check out their old stomping ground.

It was funny, she thought as she pushed open the door and got out, how nervous she'd been over the idea of coming home for the reunion and now that she was here, she was almost excited. Being back in Albuquerque was beginning to feel oddly natural.

But no matter what, she was determined to enjoy herself for the weekend. After all, weekends away on a cop's salary were something of a rarity. She could only hope that the stress she'd felt back in California wouldn't return when the actual reunion began with dinner later that night.

"Earth to Gabby," Chad said as he opened the front door to let her inside.

She shook her herself out of her musings and grinned at him. "I was just thinking." She shrugged as she slipped inside past him.

He rolled his eyes, still grinning. "Uh huh, sure." He led her through the living room and into the kitchen where a short woman stood washing dishes at the sink. "Mom, you remember Gabrielle?"

The woman turned, drying her hands on a dish towel and smiled warmly. "Of course I do. It's very nice to see you again, my dear. Chad talks about you often."

Gabrielle slanted a look at the tall black man who wore a sheepish look on his face.

"How can I not talk about my best friend to my own mother?" he asked.

"Thank you, Mrs. Danforth." She glanced around the room, "you have a lovely home."

Estelle Danforth's smile widened. "Oh thank you—can I get you anything? Water? tea?"

Gabrielle shook her head. "Oh no, we actually have lunch plans. Are you ready, Chad?"

He nodded. "Yep." Turning to his mother, he kissed her cheek. "I'll see you later. Tell Dad when he comes home from the community center that I expect a rematch of last Christmas's basketball game. The day a former Laker's player loses to his father is a sad one indeed."

His mother grinned and rolled her eyes at Gabrielle. "He's so full of himself, isn't he?"

She grinned and took his elbow as they walked to the front door. "Isn't he just."

Taking her keys out of her bag, she walked to the car and unlocked the door. Chad went around the passenger side and slid in the seat. "Dang, your mom has a nice car." He ran a hand down the dashboard.

Gabrielle shrugged and started the engine. "It's a car."

He goggled at her. "It's a Mustang."

Rolling her eyes, she continued to play him. "Like I said, it goes from point A to point B."

"You're such a girl."

"Yeah, but that's why you love me." And laughed as she drove them down the street toward Downtown.

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

When the cab came to a stop in front of the all-too familiar house, Troy stepped out into the warm Albuquerque sunshine.

It was a definite change from the dismal rain he'd left in Boston.

He paid the driver and hoisted his duffle onto his shoulder before making his way up the walk to the front door. He saw his mother's snappy blue hybrid in the driveway as he slid his key into the lock to open the door.

"Mom?" he walked into the foyer. "Dad?"

Dropping his bag by the staircase, he called out a welcome and walked back toward the kitchen. Lucille poked her head inside from the patio. "Out here, honey."

She met him halfway with a giant hug. "I am so excited that you are here! Now I don't have to fly to Boston—ever."

He laughed and squeezed her tightly. "I was just here, like, a month ago," he reminded her.

She pulled back and framed his face with her hands. "A mother can never see her grown child often enough—especially when he lives halfway across the country."

"Let go of the man," Jack told his wife mildly, coming inside the kitchen carrying a mug. "Good to see you, Troy. Your flight was good?" He grabbed the coffee pot and topped off his own cup before reaching into the cupboard for one for Troy.

Troy slipped an arm around his mother's shoulders and took the cup, taking a grateful swig. "Thanks for this." He gestured with the cup, "airline coffee is terrible."

"So's airline food," Lucille commented as she opened the refrigerator and grabbed out makings for a sandwich. "Are you hungry, Troy? I can make you a sandwich."

Troy hesitated, shooting a look at his father and cocked his head. "Food? From you? Are you sure? Because I can just cook something myself."

Lucille swatted at him as Jack guffawed with laughter. "You think you're so funny, Troy Bolton. I'll have you know that I can make you a sandwich. Who do you think made you your lunch for all those year?"

"Really? I always thought Dad cut my sandwiches into the dinosaur and truck shapes."

Jack patted his son's shoulder. "Do worry—even your mother can't ruin a sandwich." He smiled sweetly at his wife and nodded toward the outside patio. "Come on, we can enjoy our coffee and sandwiches outside in the sunshine."

"Oh so now _you_ want one too?" she asked as she spread mayo on the bread and layered it with meat, cheese and veggies.

Jack kissed her cheek. "That would be great. If you make yourself one, we can all enjoy them on the patio."

Worrying that things were going to get too mushy, Troy shook his head and walked outside to the backyard. He sat down and looked out at his father's pride and joy. Next to basketball, there was nothing Jack Bolton loved more than to putter around in the year, tending to the flowers and growing the vegetables that Lucille was currently using to build her sandwiches.

He took a sip of his father's notoriously strong coffee and leaned back to appreciate all the special comforts of home. Maybe being back on a permanent basis wasn't going to be as bad as he had thought.

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

"So I checked and double-checked the menu," Zeke called out as Sharpay breezed into the empty restaurant. "Everything is a go."

She dropped her cavernous bag onto a bar stool and blew out a breath. "Thanks for that. I truly appreciate it. The last thing on my list is the decorations, which will be done to my liking by my seniors this afternoon. After that, everything will be smooth sailing—hope to God."

Zeke grinned as he handed her a cup of coffee and came around the counter to rub the knots out of her shoulders. She closed her eyes and sighed in pure bliss. "If you could just keep doing that—forever—I would be your slave."

"Anything for you, Shar," he replied, focusing on her tense muscles. "—though now that you mention it, I could really use another souse chef."

She opened one eye, curled her lips in amusement. "Only if you want to teach Macbeth to my juniors starting next week."

Chuckling, he turned her chair around and leaned in to capture her lips with his. As he pulled back, she nipped his lip with her teeth. "We all have our strengths, I suppose."

"Feel free to show me yours, especially in the kissing department whenever you like," she murmured, taking a sip of coffee.

"I love you, Sharpay."

It was said so pointedly that she forced herself not to be surprised by his admission. She knew that he'd been in love with her for years—since high school—and was willing to wait for her to get used to the idea.

It wasn't that she didn't love him-no, she told herself—deep down she had been in love with him for that long. But it had taken much longer to admit it to herself and with their schedules and up until recently they hadn't even been in the same country, she was forced to evaluate where the relationship was going.

Hooking her arms around his neck, she pressed another quick kiss to his lips. "I love you, too, Zeke. Always."

He leaned down, laid his head on hers. "I've been waiting a long time for you. I want to spend the rest of my life together."

Her breath caught. She wasn't prepared to face this issue now. They had only been really serious for such a short time that she was just getting used to calling him her boyfriend. She tried to pull back, but he wouldn't let her. "I know, Zeke. And I am trying to figure out a lot of things. I can't do this right now."

"I said I wouldn't pressure you, but know that I love you more than life itself and I will wait for you."

"Thank you," she replied quietly, kissing his cheek before moving out of his arms, though she wouldn't mind spending much more time there. "Now, I really have to go. I have to be at school soon."

"We need to talk about this, Sharpay."

"I know. And I promise I am thinking about it. But there is a lot going on."

"I'll be by the school later to pick you up."

She smiled. "Okay. Love you!"

Zeke watched her walk out to her car—a blond bullet, always moving too fast from one place to another. Sharpay never slowed down, he thought, but her speed definitely brought results, so he supposed it was okay.

He had meant what he said. He had been in love with her for a very long time and now that they were in the same city, he wanted to make his life with her. He wanted a future and wasn't willing to give up that easily—no matter how hard she pushed.

**HSM*HSM*HSM*HSM**

_So this chapter is a little short, but I wanted to give you another update. I am sorry that I am so terrible at updating this. I am a student and college has become incredibly busy recently. I just want you all to know that I am still invested in this story and will update it as inspiration and time allows me. I would love reviews, though! What do you like so far? Suggestions? Thoughts? _

_Thanks! _


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